Spring-wheel.



ENTE" E R. 6a G. H. WELFORD.

SPBINGWHEBL. APPLICATION FILED DEO.29,1903.

Patented oen-4,1910.

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auf 115 WM oRRIs PETERS ca., wAsm R. 6u G. H. WELPORD.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLIouIoN FILED Dso.29,1aos.

Patented Oct.4,191.

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Wlcli 5 E5, h@ 1/5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT WELFORD AND GEORGE HENRY WELFORD, OF NORTH I-IYLTON, ENGLAND.

SPRING-WHEEL.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT IVEL'FORD and GEORGE HENRY IVELFORD, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at North Hylton, Durham, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-VVheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spring wheels of the kind wherein springs formed with two opposite bends having prolonged or extended portions or ends are interposed and act between inner and outer concentric rims or the like, said prolonged or extended portions or ends being adapted for attachment at their extremities to the inner and outer rims or the like in such manner that under ordinary tension, compression or iexure of any kind no working part or parts of the springs touch or come into contact with either the inner or outer rims or the like or each other.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved form or arrangement of springs for such wheels.

According to this invention we employ springs more or less approximately in form to the shape of the letter N with the corners o1' junctions between the diagonal member and the side members curved or rounded and forming two oppositely disposed working bends, said side members being disposed radially of the wheel and being adapted for attachment at their extremities to the inner and outer rims or the like respectively in such a manner that, when under ordinary tension, compression or iiexure, no working part or parts of the springs touch or come into contact with either the inner or outer rims of the like or each other..

We will fully describe our invention with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is an elevation of oneform of spring wheel made in accordance therewith, and Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. l partly in section. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing our special form of spring, and Fig. 4: is a perspective view of one of said springs. Fig. 5 is an elevation showing a modified arrangement of the springs, and Fig. 6 is an end view of same. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are elevations of modifications of our special form of spring, and Fig. 10 and Fig. ll are developed or diagrammatic elevations of modied arrangements of springs.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw- Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 29, 1908.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

serial No. 469,831.

ings, in a spring wheel made in accordance with this form of our invention we employ an inner rim or felly a carried by the spokes Z), and an outer rim c provided with a tire (Z, outer rim c being connected to the inner rim a by springs c in the form hereinafter referred to.

The springs c, shown best in Figs. 3 and 1l, are made of flat section steel or other suitable material and more or less approximate in form to the shape of the letter N with the corners or junctions between the diagonal member and the lateral members rounded or curved, or, in other words, the springs are formed with two opposite bends f, f and parallel or approximately parallel side members g, g. The springs are arranged between the inner and outer rims a and c so that the bends f f are disposed circumferentially and the side members g g are disposed more or less radially of the wheel, and the extremities of the said members g g, are attached to the inner and outer rims, the effect being that the tension, compression or fiexure is localized about bends f, the radially disposed sidemembers g suitably resisting distort-ion and retaining their radial disposition. It will thus be seen that no working part or parts of the spring other than the extremities or points of attachment touch. or come into contact with either the inner or outer rims or with each other. Conveniently the radial side members g g may be provided with flanged extremities z, /t for attachment to the inner or outer rims of, and c by set screws j, Fig. l.

The springs e may be arranged in opposite directions as shown in Fig. l, or they may be arranged in two or more planes or rows in which case the adjacent springs of each pair of rows are preferably arranged in opposite directions as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Rubber or other suitable material 7c Fig. l) may be fitted between the pairs of radial side members g g. In some cases the radial side members g g may be curved near the bends f, fas shown in Fig. 7 or the springs may be coiled or twisted between said radial side members g g as shown in Fig. 8, or they may be formed in two parts connected or fitted together as shown in Fig. 9, or otherwise.

Instead of the radial side members g g being provided with flanged extremities for direct attachment to the inner and outer rims, they may be attached thereto by brackets m, Fig. 107 suitable washers or distance pieces n being interposed between the pairs of radial side members g g.

Two or more springs may be formed out of a Single piece or strip of material as shown in Fig. 1l, the distinctive configuration of each spring being maintained and they may be secured to the inner and outer rims by set screws as shown in said figure or as shown in Fig. 10, or in any other suitable fashion.

7e declare that what we claim is 1. In a spring wheel an inner rim or felly, anA outer rim, and springs secured to both said felly and said outer rim said springs being approximately in the shape of the letter N with the corners rounded on and the side members disposed approximately radially of the wheel.

2. In a spring` wheel an inner rim or felly, an outer rim a plurality of springs of fiat steel sections approximately the shape of the letter N with the angles rounded off all facing one direction and a plurality of springs similar in shape to said rst plurality of springs arranged alternately with the springs of said iirst plurality between said inner rim and said felly and facili in the opposite direction to the springs of said first plurality of springs.

3. In a spring wheel an inner rim or felly, an outer rim, springs of approximately N shape with the angles rounded off said springs being arranged alternately facing in different directions between said felly and said inner rim, means for securing the side members of each said springs one to the felly and the other to the outer rim and buier devices between adjacent springs.

In testimony whereof we have signed our naines to this speciication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT IVELFORD. GEORGE HENRY VVELFORD. Witnesses JOI-IN TAYLOR, J. STANLEY TAYLOR. 

